Thursday, September 23, 2004

ROH PLEDGES TO HELP IMPROVE HUMAN RIGHTS GLOBALLY

President Roh Moo-hyun pledged on September 14 that the government make efforts to contribute to improving human rights in the global community.

During the international human rights forum at Seoul's Lotte Hotel, President Roh said, "Our people have successfully overcome the dark era of human rights violations and are now opening a new chapter of human rights and democracy." The President said this on account of the earlier periods of authoritarian rule of the country when human rights were often neglected in the name of efficiency and modernization of the nation, which emerged from devastation caused by the Korea War in 1950-53.

"We will not return to the past history of human rights violations," Roh said. "We will try to further contribute to enhancing human rights at the international level."